Comic-Con: SUPERNATURAL Panel Recap

The cast and crew of Supernatural, the long-running WB/CW cult hit, took to Comic Con to discuss the end of the seventh season and it’s effects on the upcoming eighth. Amongst the panel: Cast members Jared Padalecki, Jensen Ackles, Jim Beaver, Misha Collins & Mark Sheppard, Writer/Executive Producer Ben Edlund and new series showrunner Jeremy Carver. For a recap of the panel, hit the jump.

Highlights from the Supernatural Panel:

Jeremy Carver, who left Supernatural at the end of the fifth season to become showrunner for Syfy’s Being Human, likened his Supernatural return to “being a camper and then coming back as a counselor.” Carver will now serve as co-showrunner along with Robert Singer for the forthcoming eighth season.

The seventh season ended with the Winchester Brothers torn apart once more – this time via Dean sent to Purgatory. The eighth season will pick up some time later – Dean just returning from Purgatory; but what happened during his time there will remain a mystery, doled out in flashbacks over the course of the season. When pressed on just what Dean might encounter in Purgatory – perhaps one or two familiar foes – the two showrunners remained silent. Jensen Ackles added that he honestly doesn’t know what happened in Purgatory – he hasn’t even seen the pages yet.

Misha Collins and Jim Beaver also played coy as to the fates of their characters. The former, when prodded on what happened to archangel Castiel and how he’ll return to the show, huffed and stammered – before offering “He went out for a beer and will return shortly.” Jim Beaver was, if possible, even more tightlipped about the seemingly deceased Bobby. When asked whether or not he will return to the show for the new season – he responded curtly “Anything’s possible.”

Carver noted that the strength of Supernatural lies in the “bond between the two brothers.” But that the rift caused by Dean’s sudden disappearance will have a profound impact on their relationship. In the absence of his brother, Sam Winchester turns to a new romantic interest at the start of the season. Edlund offered that the “Winchesters have always been emotional shut-ins… [This season, the duo] will learn to connect with the outside world.” This will be the first time the show attempts “to chart a real romantic relationship.” An audience member then goaded Ackles – asking if he too will gain a new love interest this season. Ackles shrugged. “The only real romance in Dean’s life is the Car.”

Marc Sheppard on the villainous Crowley: “Crowley is what happens when you don’t pay attention.” Edlund added that Crowley’s relationship with the brothers while strained, has always been “reciprocal” – in that typically they all want the same thing: to end the apocalypse, kill the Leviathan; but this season the brothers will finally butt heads with the King of the Underworld. As such, Crowley will become a source of conflict for the brothers in the new season.

Edlund and Carver compared the new season structurally to Raiders of the Lost Arc. “Typically”, Carver stated “The brothers are reacting to some tragic event or horrible situation…” This season the brothers are much more active as they search for something before Crowley and others can get his/their hands on it. When pressed on just what this something is: Edlund would only offer that it is “a mythology based power source… that we have previously seen glimpses of.”

Jared Padalecki on what character traits of Sam he would like to see further developed: “Not much hasn’t been explored – it’s good that [Sam’s] no longer responding to events in the new season. Instead you can watch whom he chooses to be as opposed to it being forced on him…” The question for Sam this season will be “Who am I?”

When asked whether or not God would ever be revealed on the show or would factor into the upcoming season, Carver and Edlund both paused for an inordinate amount of time before circumventing the question. “This season will actually pull back from heavy mythology, opening the show up to new areas.” However Carver teased finally “There will be one overarching mythological element introduced that will hopefully carry over for many more seasons.”